Coryphantha glanduligera

Structure and identification

The stem is usually solitary and dark green, with a sunken apex covered by spines. The thickened root connects to the above-ground part through a narrower neck. Pale wool surrounds the red glands. Numerous yellowish lateral spines gather in a bundle at the top of the areole, while the longest central spine projects forwards and slightly downwards. The authors describe broad yellow flowers with a sweet scent. Young plants are distinctly slender. [Dicht and Lüthy 2005, p. 53–54]

Habitat and variation

Documented sites include southwestern Nuevo León and neighbouring parts of San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas. The species occurs on hillsides with limestone gravel, sometimes beneath shrubs, agaves and opuntias. The thickened root and ovoid habit help distinguish it from the similar, more spherical C. echinoidea. [Dicht and Lüthy 2005, p. 53–54]

Water conduction in tubercles

The 2016 anatomical comparison covered 4 adult plants of this species, collected at natural sites during the rainy season. In the central vascular cylinder, vessels occurred in tissue rich in wide-band tracheids, whose walls have ring-like or spiral thickenings. Bundles reaching the tubercles contained vessel elements with smaller diameters than elements in the central cylinder. The authors proposed that this narrowing may restrict water flow to the tubercle. The assessment was based on preparations and cell dimensions, without direct flow measurements. [Terrazas et al. 2016, p. 2–8 PDF, tab. 1–2]

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